A severely cluttered hoarder house in Brisbane’s upscale Brookfield suburb has sold at auction for $1.28 million, even though buyers could not inspect it in person due to safety concerns.
Auction Draws Strong Interest
The one-hectare property on Nioka Street attracted about 130 attendees to the on-site auction on February 10. Among 40 registered bidders, Nic Vukovic emerged victorious after a 30-minute bidding war, securing the home on an ‘as is’ basis.
Queensland Public Trustee auctioneer Paul Gaffney described the solid brick residence as featuring four bedrooms, a dining room, living room, study, kitchen, basement, double carport, and a non-certified swimming pool. However, the site is overwhelmed by hundreds of kilograms of hoarded materials both inside and across the block, with overgrowth making it invisible from aerial views and inaccessible by car.
The pool requires filling in due to irreparable damage, and the property was too hazardous for standard building and pest inspections.
New Owner Faces Major Renovation Challenge
Nic Vukovic admitted the listing initially deterred him. “I thought wow, that looks terrible,” he said. “But my mum said wow that’s exciting. She loves doing renovations. It’s going to be an interesting project, that’s for sure.”
Gaffney emphasized the long-term potential: “There is a great deal to do, but the pay-off is there in the long run with this amazing hectare of land in one of Brisbane’s most exclusive suburbs.”
Brookfield’s Premium Market Context
Brookfield, known for luxury country-style mansions with pools and tennis courts, boasts a median price of about $1.7 million for four-bedroom homes. Comparable properties have fetched up to $3.8 million recently.
The sale highlights fierce competition for limited land in Australia. KPMG forecasts Brisbane house prices rising 10.9 percent this year and 8.9 percent in 2027. Nationally, values are projected to increase 7.7 percent in 2026 and 6 percent in 2027, before easing due to affordability pressures and stabilizing population growth.
KPMG chief economist Brendan Rynne noted that recent policy shifts, such as the 2025 expansion of the 5 percent deposit scheme, have boosted demand, especially at entry levels. Yet, new housing supply lags, with completions expected to miss national targets by 30 percent over the next two years, averaging 150,000–170,000 dwellings annually after accounting for demolitions.
Housing affordability has worsened, with median house values now 8.9 times average income—up from 6.6 five years ago—and repayment-to-income ratios at 50.6 percent.
